Advent Reflection Day 1

Moving Gently towards Christmas…

Advent is the Church’s season of preparation. However, recognising that with all that is going on and how many of us are feeling there perhaps needs to be a gentle touch in regarding how we use Advent. Moving Gently toward Christmas offers a verse(s) from scripture each day, omitting Sunday. The Scripture verses are from the Lectionary Readings for Advent Year B

I invite you to read the verse(s) several times slowly and become familiar with them.
Close your eyes and absorb the words. Let the Holy Spirit guide this unfolding in your mind.

Reflect on what you experienced having read the words and perhaps hold on to them during the day and come back to them during the day.

Opening Prayer for each day
Lord of light and the darkness,
May your Spirit guide our preparations for Christmas.
Help us to seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
In our anxiety may we look forward to your coming among us and be blessed by the joy of your presence.
When we feel as if we are walking in darkness may we see your light as we say,
“Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen.

The commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes

The heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
One day pours out its song to another and one night unfolds knowledge to another.
They have neither speech nor language and their voices are not heard,
Yet their sound has gone out into all lands and their words to the ends of the world.

Canon Angela Tilby said of this Psalm ‘This is a psalm to arouse our spiritual imaginations, to extend our sense of wonder at the natural world and to draw us into a deeper love for the law of God inscribed in our hearts.’

Christ, the sun of righteousness,
rise in our hearts this day,
enfold us in the brightness of your love
and bear us at the last to heaven’s horizon;
for your love’s sake. Amen
(Prayer Shared from ‘Reflection on the Psalms’ app. Material subject to copyright)

May the God of peace make you completely holy,
ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
 

By Rev Derek Akker